Maureen Blanquisco: Details About My Preparation for the Biggest Bodybuilding Competition

Getting to the top of the bodybuilding world – Mr. Olympia – is always difficult and full of unexpected challenges. How is the 2022 Bikini Fitness Olympia champ Maureen Blanquisco getting prepared? In the interview, she reveals how she overcomes challenges and what it takes to fulfil her dreams in the world of professional bodybuilding.

How long does it take to get prepared for Mr. Olympia?

At the beginning of the preparation for Mr. Olympia 2023 I weighed 5 kg more than during the competition. My trainer and I set 15 weeks for preparing and 10 weeks before the competition we started with weight reduction and getting in shape.

What is your typical training routine during the preparation period?

There is not much change in my typical training regimen. Some days I exercise my upper body, other days I exercise my lower body. If I feel the need to develop a certain part of my body more, I add a training day focusing only on that part. The change in training routine comes about three weeks before the competition. I tend to decrease the weight I train with slightly and increase the number of reps.

What do you focus on in your diet? What about cheating?

Diet is an integral part of my preparation. I try to eat regularly and my diet plan suits me. I no longer see it as a reduction diet, but as a hobby. It has become something natural for me. During the off-season I’m on a similar diet regimen, except I eat a little less.

What about you and cheating?

Well, I confess that even I had moments when I couldn’t resist food. But everyone experienced that. One night, I woke up very hungry. I found bread in the fridge. I took a bite out of it and immediately threw it away into the dustbin. But it made me hungrier. I took the bread right out of the dustbin and took another bite. I asked myself: “What the hell is wrong with you?” I dipped the bread in the water and threw it back into the dustbin. So, yes, I’ve experienced it too.

What is your trainer like and what is the most important thing for you in your relationship with your trainer?

My trainer Francisco Espino and I’veve a great relationship and he supports me a lot. I’m very disciplined and training me has never been a problem. I didn’t ask too many questions. I stuck to my plan. What I admire about Espino is that everything he does makes sense and he knows exactly what each change will bring. Even when I got my period two days before the Boston Pro. My weight went up and I looked like I was swollen. Even then he knew exactly what to do. I never felt in his presence as I did that night with the bread, for example. I get the feeling he cares more about my health than the trophy.

What form of motivation does your trainer use?

When I stick to my training plan, my body changes exactly the way I want it to. That’s what keeps me motivated. The more I exercise, the more motivated I feel.

What has been the biggest challenge for you so far during the preparation for Mr. Olympia?

The hardest thing for me was when I got trapped in Spain. Olympia was still 9 weeks away and I was still in Spain. I was waiting for a visa with no guarantee of when I would return home. But I overcome such challenges too.

How do you feel at the moment and what do you think about your chances of success in the competition?

Before the competition, I feel both excited and calm. My only goal was to win a title at Mr. Olympia. That’s something I've already accomplished. I will be grateful for that for the rest of my life. If I win again, I will be extremely happy. But I’m already satisfied with what I’ve achieved.

What does this year’s Mr. Olympia mean to you?

This year's Mr. Olympia means a lot to me, as does every competition I've competed in. I’ll always go on the stage as if it was my first and last competition.

Maureen showed us that it is important to keep working hard, not to give up and to trust yourself and your trainer. This is the blueprint for success for Mr. Olympia.